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With the needs of lightweight and sustainable development, the structure-function integration of natural fibers through multiscale surface modification has attracted much attention. Jute fibers (JFs) stand out from other natural alternatives because of their unique hierarchical structure, lower production cost and better mechanical properties. In this work, a facile and effective strategy for preparing ZnO nanorods (NRs) @JFs was proposed by an in-situ method. The introduction of ZnO NRs not only reinforces the fiber, but also endows additional functionalities. The components and morphologies of ZnO@JFs were characterized. The structurally optimized ZnO@JFs exhibit a significant increase in surface energy, tensile strength, elongation at break, thermal stability with 150.0%, 16.8%, 8.5%, 216.9%, respectively, as well as remarkable enhancement in microwave absorption with 40.0%. These homogeneous and aligned ZnO NRs@JFs that integrate reinforced structure and additional functions have great application potential in the fields of automotive industry, building construction and aerospace. • Homogeneous and aligned ZnO NRs are fabricated on JFs by in-situ deposition. • Growth and regulation mechanisms of ZnO NRs@JFs were revealed. • Mechanical, thermal and absorbing properties of JFs are enhanced by introduce of ZnO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]